The technical field of this disclosure is electrical windings, particularly, a foil winding with multiple terminals.
Foil windings can be used to produce a variety of electronic components, such as transformers and capacitors. Such components often require multiple terminals at different radial positions in the windings. Multiple terminal windings have been produced in large components like large power frequency transformers by cold-welding copper busbars to aluminum foils and in small transformers by acoustic welding of copper terminals to aluminum foil windings. However, multiple terminal windings have not been produced for low profile vertical windings, such as foil wound, low profile transformers and other foil wound, low profile magnetic components.
In small transformers with foil windings, multiple terminals present difficulties in fabrication and operation. It is difficult to maintain terminal alignment during fabrication, creating irregularities in the foil that create electromagnetic irregularities during operation. In addition, misalignment increases the temperature at the center of the winding.
Soldering, ultrasonic welding, spot-welding, and cold welding are common methods for fusing metals and providing good electrical contact, but the welding of terminals in foil windings must be performed before winding the foil. This means that terminals longer than the foil is wide must be cut to their final length and welded to the foil before winding. The welding also adds a complex and time-consuming step to the manufacturing process.
It would be desirable to have a foil winding with multiple terminals that would overcome the above disadvantages.
One aspect of the present invention provides a foil winding with multiple high current terminals.
Another aspect of the invention provides a foil winding with terminals aligned with the axis of the foil winding.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of making a foil winding with multiple terminals without soldering or welding the terminals to the foil.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of making a foil winding with multiple terminals wherein several foil windings are wound simultaneously.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.